Centre Starts Work on Giant Screen

Installation of a giant "panoramic" screen and stereophonic sound will make Salt Lake City's Centre Theatre the first in this area to be equipped to present the many new wide-screen and 3-dimensional motion pictures fast becoming available from all of the major Hollywood studios, according to Ray M. Hendry, vice president and general manager of Intermountain Theaters, Inc.

The theater, will have the extensive changes completed in July.

The new wide-vision screen will give Centre patrons a 40-ft. picture expansion compared with the present 24-foot spread.  With the average motion picture screen measuring 24 to 26 feet wide and 16 to 18 feet high, the new process will revolutionize the projection of all types of pictures.

Adaptable Lenses

The Centre's new equipment also involves the use of adaptable new lenses on projection machines to accommodate the widely varied processes now in vogue in the filming of 3-dimension pictures.  In terms of "aspect ratio preferences" or the ratio between the width and height per square foot used in filming, the major studios vary as follows: Paramount, 1.66 to 1; RKO-Radio 1.70 to 1; Universal-International and Columbia 1.81 to 1; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Brothers a proposed 2 to 1; and 20th Century-Fox's 2.66 to 1, known as Cinema Scope.

Audience Illusion

The Panoramic screen at the Centre Theater will be completed by a synchronous luminous surround consisting of an adjustable cornice and a base ramp which can be used to frame pictures of different sizes.

"Stereophonic sound, with sound reproducing horns situated in various positions around the theater, will give the Centre audience the illusion of taking part in the action of the picture," Mr. Henry explained.